


Thoughts are free Part 1

by blackeyedsoul



Series: Thoughts are free [1]
Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Falling In Love, Fluff, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, M/M, Mike to the rescue, Rescue, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-07 23:59:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1919055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackeyedsoul/pseuds/blackeyedsoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU - Mike Ross is not the only one with a very special brain. Harvey Specter has a secret of his own and keeping it sometimes is almost too much to handle - even for the great Harvey Specter.  </p><p> </p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I finally did it and dipped a toe into an AU-Story. I hope you guys like it!
> 
> sal_si_puedes gave it a “little read through”. In my words: She checked this story very carefully and saved you from lots of stupid mistakes and I just know she has editing superpowers- of course she would never admit that and I hope she does not have to kill me now because I spilled her superpower secret. 
> 
> And another big thank you to Stefanie who went through this with a very fine-toothed comb!
> 
> You two rock!

Harvey Specter had known his whole life that he was different, for as long as he could remember. 

It took him a while to understand where all the voices were coming from and what it all meant.  
He must have been four or five when he finally fully realized that all the things he heard and all the voices that talked to him where other people’s thoughts. Another thing he learned was that nobody else he knew seemed to be able to do that.

He remembered the day when he told his parents. Of course they did not believe a single word their baby boy told them, sitting on the kitchen table with his legs dangling from the wooden chair and with a very serious expression on his little face. 

It did not take Harvey long to prove it. He would never be able to forget his motherʼs shocked expression when she finally realized the truth. She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. From that day forward his mother was a different person around her son. She was afraid of him, Harvey could tell. 

His dad never changed. But he never stopped teaching him that people’s thoughts where something personal and that no one had the right to comprise this one and only thing that belonged to nobody else. He never tried to forbid Harvey to do it, especially not when Harvey grew older, he just wanted him to be responsible, to feel like he was entering sacred ground when he invaded someone’s mind. 

One of the very first things Harvey had to learn was how to stop all the thoughts from constantly drumming on his brain. When he was old enough to realize and understand everything, he also began to suffer under the constant stream of voices in his head. The more people surrounded him the louder and more confusing it became, up to the point where all the voices just blended together into one monstrous cacophony. When that happened he instantly developed a pounding headache, a few times his system just overloaded and he puked with a heavy migraine before he passed out. As a teenager that happened a couple of times. 

His body and mind were obviously a little overtasked with handling all the crazy hormones of a teenage boy and holding up the guards at the same time. Of course it also happened because teenage boys always think they know better. Harvey was no exception and being a telepath did not save him from doing stupid things. Like the one time he decided he was fed-up with being careful and respectful and just read everybodyʼs thoughts the whole day long. At noon he was sent to his schoolʼs nursing station where he had puked his guts out. Not to mention that he could not always resist using his very own superpower to his advantage. Girls and tests were two things that tempted Harvey quite frequently.

Today Harvey was able to block out everything the whole time. It did not cause him any considerable effort to keep a tight veil around himself and to silence the world outside. Since he considered himself an adult Harvey always felt guilty to his bones when he listened to people’s thoughts, which was why he tried to avoid it. It seemed his fatherʼs lessons were finally carved deep into his brain. 

Naturally, he still sometimes used his ability to his advantage, in court or during negotiations or when he wanted to know if a client lied to him, but never to full extent. He lowered the veil just a little to let a few thoughts flood in, just to get the right idea of what he wanted to know. But in his everyday life he kept everything out. 

Harvey never listened into Donna’s or Jessica’s or Mikeʼs thoughts. He did not want to betray the trust of people he liked or even considered friends. He did not want to take from them what they were not willing to share freely. In his almost 40 years he had completely learned to behave himself.

Only a handfull of people in his life had ever known about his gift and that had taught him it was better to never tell anyone again.  
His mother was the first person to show him what happened when people knew. 

Harvey had also confessed to his first big love as a teenager and it had all gone south. She did not tell anybody but she never felt comfortable around him again. She was permanently afraid he'd know what she was thinking and after a few weeks she was gone.

He tried one more time by telling the boy who he considered his best friend forever because they had known each other all their young lives but the same thing happened.  
Harvey knew from then on that he would never in his whole life tell anyone ever again.

Another thing he had to learn was that sex was a difficult thing for him, at least when feelings were involved. His first time with a girl he was wildly in love with - of course he was, he was sixteen and a walking incubation tube of teenage hormones- was nothing but a disaster. With all the feelings and arousal it was impossible for him to keep his guard up and when all her unfiltered thoughts flooded his brain he could not keep going. He was overwhelmed and fled her room. Even when he grew older this kept happening whenever he was really into someone and it just scared the shit out of him every time. 

Not only the feeling of the woman’s inner being unfiltered in his own head and the headache that came with it made him sick to his stomach, he also heard and knew things that he did not want to hear and know, especially not when he was about to have sex with her. 

So Harvey stopped trying. He found that just having sex with random women he did not emotionally care about was easy. He was able to enjoy it and never be in danger to lose control. If he was in a giving mood he could be the best lover a woman had ever seen, carefully picking up everything she wanted.

Today he was Harvey Specter, the best closer in the City. He was rich, handsome and brilliant even without reading people's thoughts and he was unstoppable when he did. The image he had carefully created over the years served him well. Most people knew him as self-absorbed hardass that did not do emotions but was really good at using them against others. 

His usually smug and condescending demeanor helped to keep people at distance. Harvey did not like to be touched by other people. Touching always involved the risk of contact. Of course he was strong enough today to not let anything rip through his veil but there had been times this had not been that easy and he preferred keeping his distance. 

The amour he had carefully chiseled for himself through the years was shiny and flawless without any chunks. The panoply of his choice was either costum-made by his tailor or came with labels like Tom Ford or Fioravanti. There were many things you could say about Harvey Specter but none of them was that he did not have excellent taste. 

 

The last couple of days had been exhausting. Harvey was beyond tired, he could not remember the last time he had pulled that many all-nighters, plowing through what seemed to be an endless stream of papers, his associate right by his side, working at minimum double speed of what Harvey could manage.

It was early in the morning. Mike and Harvey were sitting in Harveyʼs office, once again surrounded by papers and folders and boxes with even more folders and papers. Mike looked worn out. Harvey could tell his associate was as tired as he was himself. Harvey was just better at hiding it. Mikeʼs eyes showed red rims, his hair was a total mess because he tended to rub his hands through it when he was trying to concentrate.

All the coffee in the world would not make that go away. Harvey knew, because he was drinking his third cup and it was not really helping. He felt a distant pounding in the back of his head and he knew it would quite likely become a huge headache within the next couple of hours. As soon as Donna was here he would have to ask her for some painkillers. His own stock was empty. He needed a refill. 

About 7.30 the office slowly began to come to life. Harvey could hear the distant sound of elevator doors and footsteps, people talking and computers playing their short start melody.

Mikeʼs folder landed on the glass table where he let it fall down. The young man pressed his palms to his eyes and stretched a little.

“I am going to get another coffee. I need to move my feet”, Mikes explained.

“Want some?” 

His ice blue eyes where bloodshot from sleep deprivation as he looked over the table to his boss.

“Please”, Harvey answered while he nodded his head, without interrupting his work. Although he knew all the caffeine he could drink would not fight back his rising headache and the burning in his tired eyes.

Once Mike was gone Harvey allowed himself a deep breath. He let his head rest on the back of his black leather couch and rubbed his sore eyes before massaging his temples. They really had to get some sleep tonight. He knew that in a few more hours it would not make any sense to look at the papers because they were both near the point where nothing made sense anymore when you read it. 

Mike returned with the coffee and they worked for another while until Donna arrived. That was Harvey`s sign to finally rise from the sofa. He really needed those painkillers now. His head was pounding and he figured it would be a good idea to step outside for a few minutes.  
When he reached Donna`s cubicle his assistant greeted him with an understanding smile:

“Morning, Harvey. I hate to say it, but you look like shit.”

Without another word she opened her drawer and flipped two pills into Harveyʼs palm.

Before he could even say thank you, she put a glass of water in front of him on the counter of here cubicle.

The following sentences came as a suggestion but her tone made it very clear that it was more of an order.

“You should probably step outside and get a little air and you should eat something, Harvey.”

He knew she was right. Donna was used to his frequent headaches, it was something he would never get rid of, it seemed to be the price for shielding his mind all the time and it appeared especially when he was exhausted. Working insane hours and keeping the veil up seemed to fry his brain a little.

Harvey swallowed the pills and gave her a small thankful smile before he made his way to the elevators. 

In the early morning the elevators were crowded. Harvey was eager to get some fresh air, so he didnʼt care and stepped into the cabin. He did not realize it immediately but after a few seconds he started to hear it. Voices. Very faint and almost like whispers. He turned around, wanted to see who was whispering behind his back in the elevator. 

The moment he turned around he realized how stupid that was. Of course nobody was talking in the elevator. Everybody around him was just staring indifferently to the wall or checking their phones. Shit! 

Harvey clenched his fists in his pockets and closed his eyes. He tried to block it out, tried not to listen, tried to calm his breath. It seemed like endless minutes until the elevator finally reached the basement and Harvey was able to escape. 

He hurried outside and after a few deep breaths he made his way to one of the food carts. Every step carefully cushioned, his head was now throbbing from one temple to the other and he could feel every single step stabbing in his head. After he managed to buy a bagel he sat down on an empty bench and tried to relax a little.  
The early morning air helped and the food in his stomach made him feel a little better. Half an hour later the painkillers kicked in and fought the pounding in his head back to a manageable level.  
What happened in the elevator worried him a little, but he blamed it on his headache and the missing sleep. They would be finished soon with the paperwork and then he could rest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more thank you to sal_si_puedes who is unbelievably helpful and patient and I am really glad I found her here!
> 
> And of course Stefi and her eye for every detail!

Nothing similar happened again for a few weeks. Harvey had already forgotten about it and went on winning cases with Mike’s help. Then Daniel Hardman came back to the firm and everybody was stressed out. All the internal fights did not minimize the workload and another major case made its way onto Harvey’s desk. Jessica delivered it personally and she did not have to utter that she wanted Harvey to get the money home and to make the client happy.

“Consider it done,” Harvey answered with his typical smirk on his face and Jessica left his office with a content smile on her perfectly painted red lips. She did not doubt his abilities for one second.

One of their major clients was being sued by a much smaller competitor and they wanted the whole thing to go away. Fast.  
The opposite side pulled the oldest trick on earth and buried them in paperwork. Of course the opposite side never knew about Harvey’s secret weapon named Mike Ross, who consumed information like a vacuum cleaner. Harvey could not help feeling a little proud whenever that happened.

Mike sat in one of their conference rooms because that was the only empty room big enough to hold all the boxes stuffed with files and paperwork. His fingers played absentmindedly with a yellow highlighter, several others, all different colors, lay on the table around him. Besides that he had a yellow notepad ready and an impressive assortment of colored marker notes.

When Harvey walked through the hallway along the glass wall of the conference room he could not resist standing still for a moment.  
Not for the first time he watched Mike’s amazing brain work, browsing through the files and marking important passages. His bright eyes danced over the paper and he turned pages with an unbelievable speed, fully concentrated on what he was reading and memorizing every single word.

Harvey could not help but wonder what it would be like to listen to Mike’s thought in moments like that. He imagined something like a hurricane of information flying around in the supercomputer brain of his associate. He had been tempted a few times before to find out, but no. He would not do that. Not to Mike.

Around 6 p.m. Mike came to Harvey’s office with everything he had found in the “we try to distract you”-mountains that he considered helpful or relevant and they both began to review his findings, they were still working at 3 a.m. Harvey fought back his recurring headache with his familiar dose of painkillers and kept going.

They did not make it home at all that night and ended up changing into the spare suits they both kept in the office. Harvey was relieved that Mike had finally decided to listen to him for once and thus did not have to wear one of Harvey’s suits again. His associate even kept a few supplies like a toothbrush and a shaver in his desk so they both managed to look presentable for their court hearing at 8.30, if you ignored the dark shadows under Harvey’s eyes and Mike’s slightly red sclera.

After court Harvey took Mike for a quick lunch. The headache was beginning to rise again and Harvey needed some food in his stomach. The same applied to Mike who could definitely use something to soak up the unbelievable amount of Red Bull he had consumed.

For a split second Harvey asked himself since when he even noticed things like that and, even stranger, since when did he care if one of his underlings had had enough to eat? But the thought disappeared as fast as it had come. He was just being practical. Mike was of no use to him if he did not function properly, and as far as he knew, food was essential to that.

Their last meeting of the day was at 16.30. Harvey’s headache had reached an intensity that not even the painkillers could push back into manageable boundaries.  
The opposing party was pissed that Mike had found every single skeleton in their closet hidden between that shitload of paperwork. Now the other lawyer tried to feed them another bullshit sandwich. Harvey hardly managed to keep his appearance for half an hour but after a while he could not stand it any longer. His pounding head and the fatigue made it almost impossible for him to follow the conversation. He really had to cut the crap now. He had to get out of there.

He knew that it was probably not a good idea to lower the veil right now, not with this headache and his exhausted mind, but he was so fed up he didn’t care.  
It took him a little longer than usual to make contact. Harvey blocked out the ongoing conversation and concentrated on the man sitting on the other side of the table.  
He was the one who tried to sue their client. He had opened his own business and tried to get them for stealing one of his products. Everybody knew it was bullshit, Harvey’s clients stole nothing from him, but the allegations could do major harm to their client’s firm and reputation.  
When Harvey dug in, the other man's thoughts flooded his brain.

_“Shit, shit, shit…they did not buy it….I am so screwed…the bastard and his fucking lawyer that looks like he's not even old enough to drink…fuck…I need this shit settled… if they find out about the bribe I am done……”_

That was all Harvey needed to know. A shark-like smile formed on his pale face and he rose from his chair, bracing both hands flat on the conference table to keep himself steady. Bright colors started to dance in front of his eyes.

Mike was obviously as surprised as the opposing side by Harvey’s sudden change of behavior. Harvey could feel Mike’s gaze resting on him, waiting what was going to come next.  
Harvey was about to open his mouth when he realized a disturbing commotion outside. His eyes went to the hallway in front of their conference room, trying to find out where the clamor was coming from. But of course nobody stood out there, although in Harvey’s head it sounded like twenty people talking at the same time. Shit…this was really bad.  
Harvey summoned the last bit of self-control he could find and spoke straight to the guy who's thoughts he had just read.

“You better come up with a very generous offer by tomorrow morning, or we will expose you. If you don't want to read about your bribe in the newspaper you better get this done.”

Harvey did not wait for anyone to speak or react˗ he just left the room, in a way he really hoped that did look as if he was fleeing.  
He did not look back or speak to anyone on his way through the waiting lounge, he just concentrated on not showing the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. He fought through the whirling colors in front of his eyes which made it almost impossible to see straight. Thank god the elevator doors opened almost immediately, the empty cabin helped a little to shut the noises out.

His guards had not been this low in many, many years.

He had reached his condo when a text from Donne came in:

_How bad is it?_

_Bad. Just tell them something believable. I’ ll be there later._

_Done._

Unfortunately there was not much time to recover. Harvey was obliged to attend a fundraiser in the evening. Nothing less than a major stroke or something equally as life-threatening would have been accepted as an excuse. A heavy migraine would not count and Harvey would probably prefer the stroke before telling Jessica that a headache stopped him and that what he really wanted was to crawl into his bed and curl up into a tiny ball.

Since that was not an option Harvey took another round of painkillers and rested on his sofa for no more than about two hours before he went into the shower and put on his tux.  
The charity event would be full of clients and those who Pearson Hardman wanted to become clients. Jessica, Louis and Harvey where invited, and to make the Pearson Hardman impact even bigger and give them more opportunity to charm potential future clients they had decided to bring Donna, Mike and Rachel with them. Jessica and Harvey knew that Donna was an unstoppable force, Rachel did very well at the firm and one more beautiful Pearson Hardman woman could never be bad and Mike, well, he seemed to be liked by just everyone who met him.

Ray picked him up and the ride gave him another twenty minutes to close his eyes and to try to relax. He was not worried about his departure earlier today. The other side would settle after what he had thrown at them and except for Mike everybody would be satisfied with whatever explanation Donna had given them.

By the time he arrived at the party his headache was still at a torturing level, but he knew that he had to push through and he would do that.  
Harvey had to admit they made a really good looking group, well except for Louis of course. Jessica, Donna and Rachel looked just beautiful in their evening gowns and Harvey would take every bet that there was not one man at the party who would not turn his head after the three ladies. He also could not help to realize, that Mike looked stunning in his tux. Yes, he was totally comfortable to acknowledge when he saw a guy that looked good. That was nothing too uncommon, although he was not sure if he had ever used the word "stunning" for a man before.

The six of them immediately started to mingle. Harvey shook countless hands, talked to everyone he knew was important. From the corner of his eye he saw Donna laughing and chatting, Mike also seemed to have a very pleasant conversation and he had no idea where Jessica and Rachel were.  
Harvey made his way to one of the bars to get another glass of water, he could not even think about alcohol without getting sick. Since he was not wearing a watch with his tux, of course not, he fished his phone from his hidden pocket to see what time it was. He planned to flee the scene after exactly two hours, not one second later.

He did not know what was happening to him and he did not know why, but it seemed like an ambush when it did. It felt as if someone was stabbing him with a knife directly between the eyes and it took him almost superhuman willpower not to scream in pain, not to press his hands against his head and fall to his knees. Somehow he managed to move, somehow he pushed through the crowd, driven by mere panic. The pain was tearing down his guards or rather what was left of them after this horrible day. He needed to get away.

He could feel that there was no way of stopping this and he could not allow anyone to see it happen. Harvey was moving as fast as he could without making everyone suspicious, he could already hear faint whispers.

Hundreds of people resided in this building. If he was no longer able to block them out it would overwhelm him like a monstrous wave. Finally he reached a quiet corner near the wardrobe where almost nobody was around. It was the best he could do before the voices in his head took over.

It was like a big swarm of bees nesting right in his brain. The humming of hundreds of voices tortured his nerves and made his whole body shiver. Harvey felt sick. He was slightly aware of his body sliding down the wall he was leaning against and forming a tight ball of pain on the floor. He knew sooner or later he would pass out. At the moment he hoped it would happen fast. Passing out meant silence. And he hoped a little it would happen before he puked on his tux. Harvey knew he was shaking violently and if someone saw him and called an ambulance it would make everything only worse, only more humiliating. Harvey could feel tears flooding his eyes and he was unable to stop them. The pain in his head and his fear overwhelmed him.

“Harvey! Harvey!” A somehow familiar voice made it through the painfully chaotic shouting and humming and screaming inside his head.

“Harvey…” He faintly realized that voice was not part of the torturing cacophony; it was a real voice talking to him.

“Harvey, look at me.” Harvey’s body was shaking uncontrollably, he had no idea how he managed to open his eyes and focus on the person who was talking to him.

It was Mike! Of course it was Mike! 500 people at a party and it was Mike who found him! He was not able to form one single word, he only felt an even stronger panic because he was only seconds away from throwing up really badly and he did not want Mike to be there. No, no, no, please!

He realized that Mike reached out for him with both hands. Even in his almost delirious state Harvey flinched back. Don't, don't touch…the words never made it to his mouth. Without any filter, touching people would only make it worse! Harvey was prepared for one last overpowering blow of pure pain when he felt Mike’s hands making contact with his skin. But that blow of pain never came. Mike’s hands framed his face, gently lifting it so Harvey’s eyes met his own. Even in his agony Harvey realized that was something like a miracle. How was that possible? Mike touched him so easily and nothing happened, nothing bad happened. Harvey stared into Mike’s eyes and tried to focus on what the other man was saying.

“Harvey! Harvey, please! Look at me! Concentrate on me! Just me!”

Mike’s voice was calm, so calm and steady compared to the chaos that imprisoned Harvey’s mind.

"Harvey, please, trust me…just try to connect."

Mike’s warm and oh so gentle hands on his face, Mike’s thumbs massaging his temples, his clear blue eyes locked with Harvey’s. Harvey tried to focus, focus on the beautiful color and then the black pupils that did not leave his own eyes and then Mike’s thoughts, Mike’s brain that had fascinated him since the very first moment he had realized its brilliance. This amazing super brain that he had never dared to enter, because he had always thought it could be too much to take.

And then there was … nothing! Just nothing! It was quiet and calm and dark. As soon as Harvey had connected with Mike, all the noise was gone. Harvey closed his eyes and just sat there on the floor with Mike’s forehead now resting against his own, Harvey’s hands around the back of Mike’s neck like he was holding on for dear life and just breathing.  
His senses went back to normal, his heartbeat grew steady again and the nausea left him. His headache was still there but he could handle it. Harvey was well aware that his guard was down completely. He sat there without any armor, without the slightest protection, only the connection to Mike kept him safe for now.

How did he do that? How was that even possible? How did Mike even know!??

Mike’s whispered words got him back to reality.

“Harvey, we have to get you out of here. Do you think you can stay connected to me?”

Mike was right, he needed to get away. He desperately wanted to get out of there, wanted to go home to his condo, home with Mike.

Harvey nodded, his head still pressed against Mike’s forehead, his eyes still closed.

“Okay,” Mike whispered and Harvey could feel Mike’s hands leaving his face to loosen Harvey’s grip on the back of his neck. Harvey opened his eyes and let Mike help him get up. He felt so fucking embarrassed and vulnerable with his body still shaking and his knees like jelly. Yet at the same time he was thankful that Mike seemed to just know and understand everything because he held one of Harvey’s hands and made no motion to let go. He knew Harvey needed to touch him to stay connected, normally he wouldn't but he hardly managed to stay on his feet right now, let alone to concentrate on a purely mental ridge.

At this very moment Harvey did not even care who might see them like this. Mike obviously had thought about that and guided him to one of the emergency exits. They did not bother to call Ray and just took one of the cabs that were lined up on the street.

Mike texted Donna:

_I had to get Harvey out of there._

_Is he okay?_

_He will be. Don't worry! See you tomorrow._

Harvey managed to hold the connection all the way home to his penthouse. Besides that he did not remember much. Every ounce of strength was soaked out of his body, there was no room in his mind for anything besides Mike’s hand on his own and Mike’s blissfully quiet mind.

The next thing he knew was that Mike opened the door to his condo and led him inside. He followed Mike all the way to his bedroom. Only there right in front of Harvey’s bed did Mike let go of his hand. Harvey was ready to collapse right there on the spot when he realized Mike was pulling on his bow tie. Harvey’s eyes met Mike’s and he needed no telepathy to see the question there. Harvey nodded almost unrecognizable but Mike picked it up and started to unbutton Harvey’s shirt.

Shit…he felt so… helpless and tired and he was afraid of what would happen if he let go of their connection. He did not even dare to try a little. He was too tired and to shaken to renew his veil. Mike sat Harvey gently down on the bed and finished undressing him. Only his briefs were left when Harvey let Mike push him down into the pillows and he closed his eyes. Before he passed out he felt Mike’s warm body crawling under the sheets next to him. The last thing he realized was that Mike had obviously gotten undressed himself wearing only his boxers. He was too weak to care and he welcomed Mike’s body next to him. Harvey knew what Mike was doing, the contact between their bodies made the bridge to Mike’s mind inevitable. As unshielded as Harvey was at the moment the other man's bodily presence cloaked Harvey completely. Never in his whole life had naked skin made him feel so safe.

 

When Harvey slowly came back from a deep and dreamless sleep the next morning he found himself alone in his bed. It took a few seconds before the events of last night came back to him and until he realized the smell of coffee lingering in the air.

“Mike,” he whispered to himself, closing his eyes once more. His alarm clock showed him that it was still early, enough time to talk to Mike before they had to go to work.  
The images of what had happened flooded his mind. Mike Ross, carefully undressing him right here in front of his bed, almost gently removing his clothes and putting him to bed. Mike’s warm skin against his own and the endless relief he had felt having him there.

With a deep breath Harvey threw back his blanket and paid a short visit to the bathroom before he put on a shirt and made his way into the kitchen.  
Mike was sitting on one of the bar stools at his kitchen isle, drinking coffee and reading one of the case files Harvey kept at home. The young man was wearing a pair of black pajama pants that Harvey recognized as one of his own and one of Harvey’s old Harvard shirts. He must have gone through his drawers to find them. To his surprise, the thought of Mike looking through his stuff did not bother him at all.

Mike greeted him with a big smile that lit up his whole face and made his eyes sparkle when he said:  
“Morning, Harvey! How are you feeling?”

Harvey could not help but smile a little himself when he saw the young man sitting in his kitchen. He crossed the room and poured himself a cup of coffee.

“I feel good. I feel…everything seems to be okay now…thank you, Mike.”

Mike still smiled widely and shrugged his shoulders:  
“No problem, Harvey.”

Harvey looked at his associate over the rim of his coffee mug and asked himself if Mike was serious. How could he do that? Harvey could not imagine doing something like that for anybody. He could not imagine…could he ever do that? When he thought about it like that…maybe he would have done it for…Mike. Shit!

Mike pointed to the plate that rested on the kitchen counter and that Harvey had completely overlooked until now.  
“I made you some eggs and bacon. I figured you might be hungry after … well after what happened.”

Mike was right. Harvey was starving. The heavy bodily reaction he had had had been exhausting, almost like his body had run a marathon.  
When he was halfway through his meal he could not wait any longer. The curiosity almost killed Harvey. He had to know.

“How did you know?”

Mike put the coffee mug down and kept staring into the black liquid like it could tell him where to find the Holy Grail.

“Well, I was not sure until I recognized more and more signs, like your increasing headaches, your aversion against touching people or being touched and your miraculous  
solution to our last case. When I saw you fleeing the room yesterday evening and found you there on the floor, the pieces finally fitted together.”

“But how did you even know that what you saw…?”

“I read about it.”

Harvey could not help but scoff a little.

“Of course you did.”

But Mike seemed to have forgotten whom he was talking to. Harvey was nothing if not detail-oriented.

“Wait, but that does not explain why you of all people are quiet and why you know that you are.”

“Damn lawyer,” Mike smiled and Harvey could swear he became a little shy when he answered.

“I met someone like you before and he told me about me being unreadable. We figured it has something to do with my brain structure. You know, a brain like mine is one in a million and that might be the reason telepaths cannot read it.”

Harvey nodded his head slightly. That sounded reasonable.

“You know that what you are doing comes at a price, Harvey, don't you? You had to pay a very high one yesterday. “

Mike's eyes had left his coffee and looked at Harvey who was still leaning on the counter next to him where he had eaten his eggs.

“But what else am I supposed to do? I have to shut them out or it will drive me insane.”

“Yes, but I think that is not the problem. You just can't push yourself to your absolute limits all the time. You can't overwork your brain on a regular basis and still try to be untouchable. Harvey, you are a telepath but you are still human! I think you should tell Jessica. She needs to know if only to protect you from yourself every now and then.”

The thought of telling someone terrified Harvey to death. His whole body stiffened immediately and he violently shook his head, staring Mike in the eyes.

“No, I can't! I will never tell anybody! Not anymore!”

Mike did not expect Harvey’s vigorous reaction and just decided to let it go for now. He did not want to upset Harvey and he did not want to drive him away. So he just dropped his shoulders and tried to sound calm.

“Okay, than we will have to do something else.”

“Like what?”

The terror was still not completely gone from Harvey’s voice and Mike reached out to touch the other man's hands that held tightly onto his kitchen counter. Like a Pavlovian reflex Harvey tried to jump back, to avoid the contact until he realized he did not have to.

“You could connect with me more often and allow your brain to rest for a while. That would help, believe the guy with the restless brain!”  
Mike laughed to lighten the mood. He knew very well that Harvey did not like it to rely on other people.

“And why in the world would you do that?”

Mike could not help but laugh. He really laughed at Harvey’s puzzled face, which showed a huge amount of disbelief towards Mike’s reaction and his offer to help.  
“Why are you laughing?”

"You really never read my thoughts!"

"Well, no, of course not, but why are so sure about that right now?"  
"Because you really have absolutely no idea."

"No idea of what?"

“Of what my thoughts do when they come to you.”

Harvey could not stop himself from sucking in a deep breath. His chest tightened when he heard Mike’s words and, even more importantly, saw the expression in Mike’s eyes. Suddenly the image of last night came back to him. Mike undressing him in his dark bedroom, Mike’s half-naked body against his own, Mike’s skin against his skin and Mike’s arm around his waist. Holding him close, allowing him to keep their connection effortlessly, and suddenly he could feel something else creeping up and down his spine.  
He wanted that again… and he wanted more. Perhaps he had felt that before, that pull towards Mike, but he had never ever allowed himself to think about it. All he had done for the man in front of him, all he had risked without hesitation, perhaps it had always been there it just hadn't been a possibility …never when feelings were involved.  
It was almost as if Mike was now the one who could read his thoughts.

He stepped closer to Harvey, close enough to reach out and gently rest his flat hand on Harvey’s chest, which rose and fell visibly under Mike’s touch. Mike ripped his eyes from his hand on Harvey’s chest and met Harvey’s eyes when he whispered with a dark voice that Harvey had never heard on him before:  
“Nothing bad will happen to you when you are with me.”

Mike's words went straight into Harvey’s core. The promise and the truth in Mike’s words made Harvey reach out and pull Mike into his arms. Their lips met and Mike just melted into Harvey, licking softly over his lower lip and Harvey let him in without hesitation. The kiss was careful and exploring. Harvey couldn't believe it was happening, his heart raced in his chest – this was the first time in his whole life he kissed someone with whom he could feel safe.

They did not stop until breathing was impossible, and Harvey broke the kiss but he did not break contact.  
This was all too much! Harvey couldn't even start to think about everything that happened in not even twenty-four hours. And all this crazy shit really scared him. He hated to admit it, even in the privacy of his own brain he hated it to be afraid.

“Mike, I don't know how to do this…I… everything that happened…it is too much…”  
They stood in his kitchen, their foreheads pressed together, and Harvey’s hands meeting in the back of Mike’s neck…it just looked like the way they had sat on the floor yesterday night when Mike pulled him out of his agony.

Mike did not pull back, he just looked Harvey in the eyes and disentangled his mentor's hands from behind his neck, like he did the night before, he held them carefully while they sunk back to Harvey’s sides.  
“It's okay, Harvey. Don't worry. But what we should worry about right now is getting to work.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading and commenting! You are the best!
> 
> And once again thank you to sal_si_puedes and Steffi for all the help and support!  
> So nice to have you deal with my bunnies!

The headache was back.  
Not as bad as it had been the day before at the party but it already started to pound in the front of his head. It seemed as if he hadn't recovered as far as he’d thought, the day had not been too stressful until now and he already felt like crap.

Nonetheless they had to get going soon. Harvey’s outburst the day before had scared the shit out of the opposing side and their surrender documents had arrived when they all were out at the fundraiser.

So Harvey’s client insisted to take Harvey and Mike out to lunch and cancelling was not an option, not if the client brought in that much money.  
He saw Mike through the glass walls of his office, making his way toward him. He smiled at Donna and stepped into the room.

"Are you ready for lunch? How are you feeling?"

"I am fine. Mike, let’s go. Ray will be waiting already."

It was a lie. He wasn't fine, and he was not completely sure why he had not told Mike the truth. 

The restaurant was jammed with people. It was the first time Harvey hated the fact that it always had to be the fancy places and he silently cursed himself for having lied to Mike. How could he possibly think it was a good idea to keep from Mike that he was not feeling well after what had happened the day before. 

Harvey tried to follow the conversation and fought the urge to touch his temples. He tried to stop thinking about what had happened at the fundraiser and that he honestly feared it could happen again. 

Again, Mike seemed to pick up what he was feeling and started to keep the two men who accompanied them occupied by telling them facts about some fancy-pancy study he had recently read about. 

Just a second later Harvey could feel Mike’s knee touching his own and he instantly took what was offered, returned the pressure and Mike brought them even closer together without showing any sign of change on the upper side of the tabletop. Almost the whole length of their thighs touched and Harvey just held on to it. The headache did not magically disappear but he could feel that the tension was ebbing. He made it through the rest of the lunch easily. They kept their clients well entertained and after one hour or so, their hosts finally announced that they had to leave. When the four men rose from the table to exchange handshakes and a few polite phrases, Harvey immediately missed Mike’s touch. His thigh felt cold now. 

They decided to wait outside for Ray who wasn't far from them and should be here any minute.  
Mike watched Harvey closely. It was obvious that he was about to say something but wasn't sure if the other man would like to hear it. 

“You should go home and get some sleep.”

Harvey knew Mike was right. He needed more time to fully recover from his meltdown. He looked back into Mike’s clearly concerned eyes and he felt the need to say:  
"Thank you, Mike... It would have been so much more painful in there without you."

"Just tell me what you need and I will be there."

Harvey’s heart began to race in his chest when he heard that. His throat tightened from what he was about to say. He felt embarrassed… holy shit, when was the last time he had felt embarrassed for saying something he wanted? He tried to make his voice sound sure and steady but failed miserably when he felt the words clawing their way up his throat.  
“I wish we could…just… can you just…”

Once more it seemed like Mike was the telepath. He stopped Harvey’s fight for words.

“Harvey, it’s okay, really. How about I come by your place again tonight?"

Harvey could not speak. He just gave Mike a small smile and nodded.  
The car pulled up and they went back to the office.

 

At about 8 o’clock in the evening Harvey opened the door of his apartment. Mike stood there with his suit bag over one arm and his messenger bag around his chest.

“Hope you are hungry,” Harvey smirked, letting Mike in.

"You can bet your ass on that,” Mike answered and followed Harvey inside.

Harvey raised one eyebrow to show his disapproval of Mike’s little slur but smiled at the same time, took Mike’s suit bag from his arm and disappeared into the bedroom.  
Mike noticed that Harvey had opened the doors to his deck and he stepped outside into the mild evening air. Up here the city was almost peaceful. The noises of New York City sounded like whispers up here. 

“Want something to drink?”

Mike jumped a little at Harvey’s voice. He had not noticed that the other man had stepped onto the deck.

"Yeah, please."

Harvey came back with two bottles of beer and gave one to Mike.

"We can eat out here if you want to." 

Harvey was not exactly a chef but he was absolutely capable of cooking some tasty pasta.  
It was already dark but still warm enough to stay outside. The deck was lit by a few floor spotlights that aimed at the planter boxes and threw the shadows of bamboo leaves everywhere they met a surface. The sounds of the City beneath them drifted softly upwards. They ate in relaxed silence and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.  
When they were finished Harvey put the plates into the sink and came back with to fresh bottles of beer.  
Mike took his bottle from him and Harvey he finally asked what had been on his mind since Mike had told him about it.

“This other telepath…tell me about him.”

Harvey could not deny the little sting of jealousy in his chest when he imagined Mike with somebody else the way he had been with him yesterday.

“How did you meet him?”

Mike took a sip from his bottle before he started to speak.

“Like I said, he found me. I sat in this small park, you know, the one right across the street from Macyʼs. I was having a bagel and reading a book when this guy approached me. I just thought he was some crazy person because he stared at me like I was the second coming or something like that. I tried to ignore him but he started to tell me weird stuff about reading minds and me being like a black hole in the middle of endless bursting colors.”

Harvey broke into a small laughter that was muffled from the beer bottle he was just drinking from. 

“So, what made you change your mind?”

“When he realized that I obviously thought he was crazy and was just about to walk away he said he could prove it to me. Since he could not read my thoughts he started telling me what people around us where just about to say or do. It was all 100% accurate.”

“And then you started to be bffs?”

“We kept in touch, met a few times for coffee or drinks and he told me everything about this telepathy thing. That’s how I learned everything I know.”

Harvey could not believe he was asking that, but it just kept bugging him more that he was willing to admit … even to himself.

“Did you … you know… help him?”

Mike violently shook his head.

“No, Harvey! I allowed him to hold my hand a few times and, you know…relax, but that’s it.”

“But…”

“Harvey, you had a major breakdown, you had absolutely no guards left and I just knew it would help you. I just knew you needed it. And you know, just because it didn’t happen, it doesn't mean he didn't ask.”

Harvey didn't know what to say, he felt strangely relieved to hear that although he knew it was actually none of his business. Not at all! Why should it bother him what Mike did with whom in his free time. This possessive feeling that suddenly took hold of him terrified Harvey even more than his breakdown.  
Mike put an end to Harvey’s speechless struggle: 

“We have to be in the office early tomorrow, let’s go to bed.”

Mike did not wait for an answer and just disappeared into Harvey’s bedroom. Harvey watched him leave. Mike was right, so Harvey followed inside. As he closed the doors to his deck behind himself he rested his forehead against the cool window pane.

Was he really about to do this? When exactly did he become completely insane without anybody noticing? But Mike was right, he needed it. His breakdown had violently shown him the boundaries of what his mind could take and it scared him. He still could not believe that Mike had been there all the time and Harvey had never noticed… the connection to him was more than just a way to unshield his brain. He could do this most of the time when he was alone in his condo or when he was sleeping. It was something much more quiet and peaceful than that. 

Harvey could hear that Mike was brushing his teeth while he went around the condo, putting the beer bottles away and switch off the lights. When he entered his bedroom Mike head already settled under the sheets and curled up on his side.

Harvey went into the shower and by the time he was back in the bedroom Mike was already breathing calmly in Harvey’s bed. Somehow he was relieved that Mike was already asleep but he was not sure what to do now. And god, he hated it not to know what to do and he felt stupid and almost helpless standing in his own bedroom with this young man in his bed. How the hell did this happen to him? He finally decided to put a shirt on, settled on his side of the bed and lay down to sleep. 

When he felt Mike move closer Harvey froze for a second, his heart racing like a hundred miles per hour, and when Mike reached under his shirt, he fought the urge to stop him for a second when Mike whispered “It’s okay, Harvey,” and just lifted Harvey’s shirt over his head and pulled him close like he had done the night before, and Harvey could feel he was right, it was okay. The touch of their skin created the connection almost instantly and everything was quiet again. Harvey was immediately pulled into the same blissful silence he had experienced the night before and it just felt so right. His troubled mind rested immediately and stood still. 

 

When Harvey woke up Mike was not beside him. He ignored the disappointment he felt about that and got himself ready for work. The headache was gone and he had a really good feeling it would stay that way for longer this time. 

Although he felt so much better than he had in weeks, Harvey realized he had a new problem, one he really did not know how to deal with … he could not stop thinking about Mike! And he did not mean the fact that he had found this one-in–a-million, unbelievable human being who held the key to his own one-in-a-million brain. No, he could not stop thinking about Mike touching him, pulling his shirt over his head and the kiss they had shared. That fucking kiss! He had kissed his associate and that was not even the worst part… the worst part was that he wanted to do it again! 

Why had Mike left? Why had he not stayed like the day before? Had he done something wrong? 

Harvey did not get any work done he could not stop his thoughts from spinning around the last two days. He hadn't seen Mike the whole day and he was not even sure if he thought of this as a good or a bad thing because he was not sure what he wanted to do or say or how he should act.

Maybe that was not even real...maybe he just thought he had feelings for Mike because Mike had saved him, because he of all people could give him something nobody else could. But that did not explain why their kiss haunted him, why he could still feel it when he closed his eyes. 

Shit! Shit! Shit! Why did this happen to him? Did he not have enough issues already? Why did he sit in his office thinking about Mike who was A. male and B. his underling and – above all – C. a man! How could he ever have crossed this line? He didn't even know if he wanted what would come if it went any further...

He had absolutely no answers to any of these questions.  
The inevitable happened around noon. Harvey did not even have to look up from his screen to know who was entering his office. The hair on his arms stood up when he felt the presence of the person who had kept his mind spinning for hours.  
Harvey’s voice sounded sincere, a bit curious maybe, but not hurt when he asked, without looking away from his screen:

"Why did you leave?"

"You know, I just didn't want to make this whole thing any harder for you. I mean, I know you are not comfortable with people and you don’t do feelings and all that…. You needed me, I was there and I will be there if you need me again, so I figured it would be best to make no big deal out of it."

Now he looked at him. Mike stood there in front of his desk holding a few manila folders in his hands, his eyes fixed on Harvey, now that he looked back, and Harvey’s chest tightened instantly because he could not stop himself from thinking that only a few hours ago they had slept in the same bed, Mike’s hands under his shirt, Mike’s body against his own.

"But we kissed." 

He let it sound more like a mere statement than anything else. He could not stand the idea that it could have meant more to him than to Mike.

"Yeah…we did…you were vulnerable… it would never have happened otherwise."

Maybe Mike was right. Maybe it was just some kind of twisted reaction of his even more twisted brain.

"I think you are right. We should just leave it to that. I really appreciate what you did and I feel perfectly fine today and hopefully I will stay that way. So, let’s just go back to work."

"Yes, Harvey, we can do that, but I hate to say it˗ I don’t think you should be too optimistic about that. I know you are stubborn as fuck and you hate it to need help and you hate everything about feelings but please don’t be stupid and let it come that far again. This was bad and I don’t believe that you do magically recover in just two days. So please say something when it comes back."

The young man’s voice was calm and perfectly reasonable, his eyes gave nothing away, it was more like some scientific presentation, nothing but logical. Mike put the folders on his desk, his face was unreadable. Harvey was looking for some kind of reaction. Disappointment, relief, anger… anything that would tell him what Mike felt about this besides the understanding for his boss’s situation. But Mike gave him none of that and left his office.

Well, after all he was still Harvey Specter. He did not fall head over heels for someone he kissed once and he did not fall for co-workers and above all he did not fall for guys! For now he could just hope that he would not come into a situation when he needed him again. At the moment he was not even sure Mike would help him again or if he wanted Mike’s help again. It would make this fucking weird situation even worse. Either way. For both of them.

"You’re a fucking asshole, Harvey Specter," he murmured to himself and went back to his computer.

 

 

Naturally Harvey did not say a word when it came back.

A few days passed without any headaches and everything went back to normal at work. Mikes acted like nothing had ever happened and Harvey was more than relieved to play along. That made it almost easy to ignore the little flips his stomach made when he saw Mike smiling at Donna or laughing with Rachel or how his skin seemed to crawl when Mike sat next to him at the conference table or on his couch in his office.  
What he could not ignore was how empty his condo felt when he came home or how he wished Mike’s warm body was lying next to him in his bed at night. He laid there and missed Mike and he hated himself for his weakness at the same time.  
So fuck the headache! He took his painkillers when he was alone in his office and everything worked out just fine. 

It was Friday evening and Harvey was swamped with work. Work he could have very easily shared with Mike but, being stubborn as fuck, as Mike had put it so eloquently, Harvey just told his associate to go home.

He was sure Mike would recognize his condition when they worked together in his office and he wasn't willing to reveal that.  
Harvey was well aware of Mike’s suspicious look when he told him to leave for the evening.

"Are you sure? Isn't there a lot of work to do? I am quite sure…"

Harvey interrupted him impatiently:

"When I say you can go home I want to hear ‘Thank you, Harvey’ and see you leave. I do not want to discuss my workload. I will be finished soon anyway. Good night, Mike."

He sounded a little more impatient than he had planned, but it did the trick.  
Mike’s look was still something between concerned and disbelieving but he shrugged and gave in.

"Okay, Harvey, thank you, and have a nice weekend."

Harvey did not watch him leave and started to work again.  
At about 2 a.m. he ended up taking one of his Percocet he kept in his desk. He avoided them most of the time because they were hard to get and really strong stuff. When he finished at the crack of dawn the bright colors began to dance in front of his eyes. Even Harvey could read this sign for what it was. Thank god even in New York City the streets were almost empty on a Saturday morning at dawn and the taxi he took made it to his condo in fifteen minutes. Harvey managed to get into his apartment and even reach the bathroom before he collapsed over his toilet and threw up violently. 

When Harvey regained consciousness someone was there, saying his name. Where was he? No, wait, he knew it: In his bathroom.  
How could someone be there? Who was it? The foggy feeling faded slowly...Mike? What was Mike doing in his bathroom?  
His associate maneuvered him into a upright position. Harvey leaned against the bathtub, his elbows on his knees and his head buried between his arms. Mike said nothing and just knelt in front of him and waited until Harvey was oriented and able to speak again. 

"Mike? What are you doing here? How did you ..." 

The sentence ended in a painful moan. His head was killing him. Even his eyeballs hurt.

Mike spoke softly, considerate of Harvey’s aching head, when he explained:  
"I was anxious after you sent me home yesterday evening. I knew something was off. Since you did not answer your phone or texted back I got your keys from Donna."

Harvey did not answer. He did not even dare to nod his head.  
"Come on, Harvey, try to stand up with me. We should get you out of these clothes."

For fuckʼs sake, had he puked on himself? He did not exactly remember which position he was in when he had lost consciousness. Either way, Harvey felt sweaty and a shower was probably a good idea.

Mikes arms felt surprisingly strong when he helped Harvey to his feet. The upright position made him feel dizzy and he leaned heavily on Mike’s shoulders for a few moments just until the ground under his feet stopped moving. As miserable as he felt he could not ignore how his skin tingled where Mike’s arm was wrapped around his waist to steady him.

"Can I leave you alone in here?"

"Yeah, I got it. I can manage a shower."

Mike’s look was still concerned, but he loosened his grip and let Harvey go. 

Harvey got out of his stained clothes and stepped into the shower. For the first time he appreciated the fact that it had level access and there was no need to lift his feet. The cool water helped to clear his head and brought him fully back to the land of the conscious. 

His bedroom was empty and he could hear Mike rambling around in the kitchen but he did not have the power to look what he was doing. Harvey just put on some boxers and a shirt and collapsed onto his bed. His stomach still felt funny and the nausea wasn't completely gone. Harvey crawled under the sheets and closed his eyes. If he could just fall asleep everything would be better soon.

Mike came back into the bedroom. Harvey could hear him walk around the bed and the small noise of porcelain grinding against porcelain told him the other man was walking with a cup in his hands. Mike set down on the edge of Harvey’s bed

"Drink this. It will help. I can imagine you don’t feel like eating yet."

Harvey lifted his body enough to be able to take the plain white cup from Mike. It was tea. Assam tea to be exact with a generous amount of sugar. It was the only kind of tea he had in his kitchen. Harvey was not a big tea fan but he had to admit it felt really good. The sugar in it made up a little for the lack of food in his stomach.

Harvey sipped the tea and watched Mike over the rim of the cup. When had he been sucked into some crazy alternate universe where his associate seemed to always be there when Harvey was at his worst? 

The young man sat there on his bed in a pair of distressed jeans and a blue long-sleeve like it was perfectly natural to bring him tea or to come to his condo in the first place. And as miserable as Harvey felt at the moment he could not avoid thinking how the blue shirt complimented Mike’s eyes.  
When he couldn't stand the sitting position any longer, Harvey put the cup down onto his nightstand and reached for the drawer, but Mike caught his hand in the move and insisted:

"No, Harvey, no more drugs today. You've had too much already."

Before Harvey could argue Mike quickly rose from the edge of the bed, stepped forward and settled behind Harvey’s back. His spine against Harvey’s headboard, one leg on the floor and the other on the mattress Mike put one of the pillows on his bent leg and said:

"Lay your head on the pillow."

When Harvey had settled in Mike’s lap, his associate’s hands started to run in small circles over his temples. He just closed his eyes and gave in to the soothing feeling of Mike’s hands moving on his face and the warmth of his body and the very faint smell of Mike’s aftershave that lingered in the air between them. After a few minutes he began to relax and the pounding in his head subsided to a quieter and less demanding state. Harvey felt safe and at ease - something that was completely new to him in the presence of another human being. Something else started pooling in his stomach, something warm and a little itchy… did he seriously have butterflies in his stomach?

Harvey opened his eyes once more before he could fall asleep and watched Mike who was looking down at him, his hands steadily soothing his tortured head.

"Will you still be here when I wake up?"

Mike’s eyes sparkled and a small but mischievous smile crinkled his eyes:

"You know, my boss is kind of a demanding bastard. Sometimes he calls me in at the weekends."

Harvey smiled.

"Tell him you are not available."

"If you want me to."

 

It was dark outside when Harvey woke up. He must have slept the entire Saturday. Another shower and a pair of grey slacks and a fresh shirt later, Harvey went looking for Mike. Hopefully he was still there.  
The doors to the deck were wide open and fresh air poured into the dark living room. Harvey saw Mike standing outside looking over The City with a beer in his hand and his stomach fluttered again. Holy shit, I am a teenage girl with a crush!  
His bare feet made no sound on the dark wooden planks but Mike seemed not surprised when Harvey wrapped his arms around him. He instantly leaned to Harvey’s chest and drew himself deeper in the older man’s embrace. One arm around Mike’s chest and the other arm around his stomach Harvey planted a small kiss on Mike’s neck, indulging in the smell of his skin. How could he ever have imagined that another man’s skin would make his blood rush through his veins like it did now?

"How are you feeling?"

Mikes pressed his body even closer to Harvey’s chest, his arms aligned with Harvey’s when he leaned back a little to press his face into the curve of the older man’s neck.

"Everything is fine. I can’t believe you found me again."

"Like I said, you are stubborn as fuck and I know that. And so does Donna. I think that’s why she gave me your key ˗ at a very unholy hour, I might add."

Harvey took a deep breath before he confessed:

"I feel like I am getting weak. The last time things like that happened, when I was a kid."

Mike shook his head. His voice was firm when he objected:

"Don’t believe that for one second! You are probably the strongest human being I have ever met. The other guy I knew, he could not even keep a job in a supermarket because he wasn't able to handle his defenses and stay focused on his work! You, you are Harvey Specter, for god’s sake, the best closer in the city and a telepath."

Mike started to plant little kisses up and down Harvey’s neck. When Harvey felt the tip of Mikeʼs tongue caressing his pulse point he could not stop the shiver that ran through his body, and a soft moan escaped his throat. 

With one smooth move he turned Mike around and kissed him, soft and careful, lips parted but barely touching. Both of them looking at each other like they could not believe this was really happening, like they weren't fully convinced the other one was really there. 

Their lips met a second time without taking it any further but the short contact made Harvey only want it even more, made his heart beat in his throat. When their lips met for the third time Mike licked carefully into Harvey’s mouth with the tip of his tongue and Harvey did not let go this time. He locked their lips and the kiss was hungry and deep and intoxicating. It washed away every shred of fear and doubt and there was no more room for thinking and reason. Even the little voice inside his head that kept telling him that this was his first time with a man and he had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do finally became silent. 

He did not need one ounce of concentration. No foreign thoughts tried to enter his brain! His body and mind were flooded with endorphins and nonetheless Harvey was alone in his head. He had long given up on hoping for that, had convinced himself that it was just not meant for him.

Mike’s hands slipped under his shirt, exploring Harvey’s skin, demanding palms stroking over his stomach and up and down his sides sending pure electricity through his body. Harvey could not help but moan into their kiss and let his own hands slip under Mike’s blue long-sleeve, feeling his warm and soft skin.

Mike broke their kiss and his lips and tongue and teeth started to wander along Harvey’s jawline and down his neck. His entire body shivered under the caress and filled with burning, hot want. Harvey reached down to the small of Mike’s back and pressed them together fervently. Their already hard cocks met through the fabric of their clothes and both men groaned from the contact. Mike reciprocated instantly, rocking against Harvey unabashedly.

Suddenly Harvey could feel a familiar heat pooling in his stomach and he realized he could probably come just from rocking against Mike. Harvey managed to get a little space between them and his voice sounded husky and wanton:

"Let’s go inside."

The few steps to his bedroom gave him a moment to calm down a bit. The second they reached his bedroom Mike claimed Harvey’s lips for another kiss and ripped the shirt from Harvey’s torso. Mike’s shirt followed to the ground and once more Mike’s hands eagerly explored Harvey’s body, leaving no spot untouched.  
Mikes pupils were blown, his cheeks flushed and his lips swollen when his hands mapped Harvey’s abs:

“You look so fucking amazing and you taste so good,” Mike purred against Harvey’s lips before he dug in again.

The younger man’s hands found their way to the waistband of Harvey’s trousers and Harvey froze for a split second. He did not want it to happen, he did not know where it was coming from, and it only lasted for the blink of an eye but Mikeʼs hands in his trousers brought back the reality of how new this all was to him.  
Mike picked up on even this tiny reaction, registering instantly why Harvey’s muscles tightened for a moment. Mike’s thumbs where still hooked into Harvey’s waistband when he looked at him wide-eyed:

"You have never been with a man before, have you? You are not into guys at all!?"  
"Have you?"

"It has been a while, but yeah..."

Harvey reached for Mike’s face and pulled him close for another kiss but before their lips met he whispered:

"I don’t know if I am into guys, Michael, but I am into you. I trust you."

With this confession on his lips he claimed his lover’s mouth with a kiss that let no more room for questions.

When they landed on the bed every piece of clothing was stripped, Mike’s body settled between Harvey’s legs and again he started to explore Harvey’s skin with his lips and the tip of his tongue, his hands everywhere on the other man’s toned body .When Mike carefully bit down on his hipbone Harvey was nothing but on fire˗ he was a wanting and mourning mess, meeting each of Mike’s touches, desperate for more.  
Never before had he given up so much of his self-control, he had never allowed anybody to strip him of his composure like that before. Not that he had chosen to never let it happen ˗ he had had no other choice. Never before had his body taken the lead over his mind.  
Harvey inhaled sharply when Mike’s lips closed around the tip of his achingly hard cock and a deep moan escaped his chest when Mike licked away the pre-come and took him into his mouth.  
Mike’s hands pinned Harvey to the mattress as he swallowed him again and again.  
There was no way of holding back, no way of not moaning and panting and grabbing the sheets to hold on to.  
Harvey knew he could not last much longer. His orgasm built unstoppable in his body. 

Mike’s eager mouth drove him over the cliff mercilessly. Moaning his lover’s name over and over again Harvey came like never before in his life. Wave after wave rolled through his trembling body and Mike did not let go, held him close and took everything Harvey gave him with a deep moaning sound of his own.  
Mike smiled, obviously content with his work, and made his way back to Harvey’s lips. 

When Mike’s still rock hard and neglected cock got caught between their bodies Mike moaned wantingly into Harvey’s mouth. It was the first time Harvey touched another man’s cock. The whimpering and hissing sounds his lover made when Harvey closed his hand around him and began to stoke felt incredibly arousing and he wanted nothing more than to see and hear and feel Mike come. 

It did not take him long to see Mike loose it. Watching Harvey fall over the edge, seeing the great Harvey Specter fall apart under his hands had almost been enough to make Mike come. With a few firm strokes and twists of Harvey’s wrist Mike came, moaning and shivering in Harvey’s hand, over his fingers and his stomach. Harvey could not believe how turned on he was by the feeling of Mike coming all over him.

Mike collapsed onto Harvey’s body tucking his face into the curve of his neck while Harvey pulled him close feeling Mike’s cock twitching in his hand and then slowly softening again.  
They both lay there pressed together, their bodies lined up perfectly, just breathing and absorbing the afterglow.  
Harvey could not even fathom everything that had happened and what might be happening from now on.

He could not believe what he had found that day a scrawny kid stumbled into his job interview and how long it had taken him to discover what Mike was to him. Mike did not only find his way into Harvey’s heart ˗ he also held the key that allowed Harvey to let him in. He had found the one human being that completed him, the other half of the sphere.


End file.
